Special highway lane restrictions could cause Pan Am–demonium in 2015
We expected playing host to the second-largest multi-sport extravaganza in the world would create a few headaches, but this is still pretty remarkable. The Toronto Star is reporting that organizers of the 2015 Pan American Games are considering reserving lanes on major Toronto roads “for athlete and official use only.” The plans are still being hammered out, but the Star’s sources say that the 401, 427, QEW, DVP and Gardiner could each have two lanes removed (one in each direction). The other option on the table is to make use of the shoulder, which, apparently, is not just for ambulances and cops anymore. Councillor and noted car lover Denzil Minnan-Wong is concerned by the proposal, with good reason. With Toronto pining away for the day it can shut down the whole city for a Stanley Cup parade, choking its highways for three and a half weeks for the Olympics Lite is just too much to bear. Read the entire story [Toronto Star] »
So the athletes and their entourage will be commuting every day of the Pan Am Games. Just like the rest of us Torontotonians. It would have made a lot more sense to house them in faciliaties (university dorms) near the venues. Only two trips would be need to come to Toronto. One for the opening and the second for closing cerimonies. For the huge amount (One billion +) being spent on the athletes village in Toronto, housing/dormatory facilities across the region could have been up-graded. The athletes and their supporters would be happy to reduce the commute to a few minutes rather than the hours they will be spending every day on Ontario’s scenic highways:)
they should just ride bikes.
They better not be closing down those roads… They are the damn major expressways! to get into Toronto you need the Gardiner and 407 /01 They need to quit being arrogant and very selfish. Why must we accommodate Pan American games? I don’t give a damn about them. Never heard of it anyway. Not sure how this will be tolerated, because it best not be.